I've been on a bit of a Bond kick lately.

That's Bond as in James Bond, Double-Oh-Seven, licence to kill, and all that rattle. I've been a casual fan since girlhood -- the first post-cartoons drive-in film I remember was You Only Live Twice -- and I've followed, or not followed, the progression of films depending on the actor playing Bond and whether or not I had enough money to go to the cinema.

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I've battled my weight for decades now, like many people with type 2 diabetes. I might win a skirmish here or there, but there doesn't seem to be a victory or even a ceasefire in my near future. It's hard to understand why I can't conquer this when I've conquered smoking and other bad habits. It's even harder to forgive myself for failing repeatedly.  

That's why I was relieved (delighted is more like it) to see Oprah all over the news this week "confessing" to her weight re-gain. If you watch her show or read her magazine or even scan the tabloid covers at the supermarket, you already knew she was gaining again. But she came forward to talk openly about it, perhaps partially to boost her New Year's week ratings. I also believe it was to help herself and others. As Dr. Phil says, you cannot change what you don't acknowledge.

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Did you catch the Style network's new reality show? The 9 episode series is about a 487 lb Southern belle with type 2 diabetes who's been warned she's a "metabolic time bomb". You can see the first one here, if you missed it.

The show didn't discuss her diabetes in depth, the doctor just mentioned that she wasn't able to control her blood sugars. Ruby repeated something else later that her doctor had said.  It compared high sugars with turning your blood to syrup and how that syrup damages the kidneys, the eyes, et al. That image of blood as syrup has stuck with me.

It's mentioned a couple times that Ruby has weighed over 700 lbs sometime in the past. I'll be interested to hear how she lost 200+ lbs already. She seems very motivated by the numerous threats to her health. I think the series is Tivo-worthy.  (READ MORE)

vancity197 @stock.xchng

I feel like such a mean dad.

I am the father of two very awesome kids. My son is 14 and my daughter is 10. They are both very smart and well mannered kids. My wife and I are extremely blessed in that they are both good kids. We thank God all the time for them.

I am usually considered the "cool dad" with my kid and their friends and as much as I am "cool" I am also pretty strict. I have definite rules with my kids and as long as they do not break them then they have lots of freedoms. Break a rule and freedoms are gone.

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My job will be ending sometime this summer. Consequently, I am investigating our health insurance options. Since hubby is self-employed, we have always covered the family under my work policy.

Now, I know that "health care in this country is in crisis"!  I know this is a huge touchpoint for political candidates.  Yes, I know all this intellectually. 

Now it's PERSONAL.  COBRA, offered by my employer by federal mandate, is more than a house note EVERY month.  Private insurance is still pricey - more than what we paid on 2 car notes.  And it carries a $2000 deductible per person.  Some sloppy math later and it could be $15,000 a year before they pay any expenses for us.

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Sometimes I feel like the Grocery gods have it in for me. I go to the store, armed with a list and a meal planned out in my head, only to find they're out of key ingredients. Like the time I had my pregnant heart set on faux-tatoes only to discover they're out of cauliflower. Or when I had to have a pizza and they were out of whole wheat Boboli crusts. And it seems like every other trip they are entirely sold out of my brand of diet root beer.

So it should come as no shock that the day I decide to make a stockpile of black bean soup the store is completely out of black beans. They had every other bean imaginable: kidneys, pintos, canelli, garbanzo, small pink and navy. But no black beans. (READ MORE)